There’s no telling what will happen when it comes time for the numerous voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association to vote at the conclusion of the regular season, but in reading different writers’ opinions from across the league it’s obvious Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara is a heavy favorite to win the Norris Trophy.

Mike Zeisberger, an outstanding columnist from The Sun, today lauds Chara’s efforts this season to wrest the award away from Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom.
“The numbers speak for themselves,” Zeisberger writes. “His 16 goals rank him among the league leaders for defensemen. His plus-24 is one of the best totals in the NHL.

“Yes, the Washington Capitals’ Mike Green is having an outstanding offensive season with 28 goals. And yes, the likes of Lidstrom, Andrei Markov, Dan Boyle, Brian Rafalski and Shea Weber, just to mention a few, certainly deserve consideration.

“Where Chara separates himself from the others is the ability to use his towering frame to completely smother opposing snipers …”